Raynes ParkLiteracyDictionary

Concise

Art & Design; PhotographyAbstract A style of art that is not realistic. Unusual lines, colours and shapes make the subject look

unrealistic. It is often characterised by the use of geometric lines and shapes and bold, brightcolours.

Aesthetic Ideas about what makes a work of art beautiful of satisfying.

Aperture The size of the lens opening through which light passes. The degree of the opening is indicated by the F number.

Art criticism The process of looking at, thinking about and judging an artwork.

Assemblage A three-dimensional work of art made by joining materials and objects together.

Atmosphere The mood and feel of the surroundings/ environment/ attitudes presented.

Back Lighting The light that comes from behind the subject and towards the camera.

Compose To design or create something by arranging different parts into a whole.

Composition An arrangement of elements of art using the principles of art to express the artist’s idea.

Construct To make something by joining together materials.

Contact Sheet/ Contact Print

The initial form in which a photographer sees a film negative in positive form. It is made bycreating a print the same size as the negative.

Context The circumstance in which something occurs, often determines meaning.

Contour The outline of a shape.

Contrast The effect of showing the difference between two unlike things such as dark colours and light colours.

Crop To alter the edges of a photograph by changing the position of the camera, adjusting the enlarger or easel during printing or trimming a final print.

Darkroom A light tight room used for processing and printing, incorporating safe lights for the materials used.

Depth of Field The zone of sharp focus in a picture. The area in front of or behind the point of focus in a photographic image.

Developer Chemical that changes an invisible latent image into a visible one.

Digital imaging The combination of digital photographs and photo editing.

Dodging Lightening an area of a print by shading it during exposure.

Elements of art The formal elements of an artwork. Line, colour, value, shape, form, texture and space are the elements of art.

Emulsion the light sensitive coating on film or paper.

Enlargement (an) A term for a photographic print from a negative that is bigger than the original.

Enlarge Creating something that is bigger than the original.

Exaggeration Showing something in a way that makes it seem larger or more important than it is.

Exposure The amount of light allowed to fall onto a light sensitive surface.

Formatting The process of preparing a reusable memory card to record photographs by deleting all previous images.

Found object Something that an artist finds and uses in an artwork such as a scarp of metal or a piece of wood.

Landscape Piece of inland scenery, usually viewed in a sideways format.

Manipulation The changing of something.

Mixed media Artworks that are created from more than one medium.

Negative The image produced on a photographic emulsion by exposure followed by development in which tones are reversed.

Organic A word describing shapes and forms similar to those in nature and the opposite of geometric.

Proportion The relation of one thing to another with respect to size and placement.

Resolution Quality and fineness of detail in a digital image.

Scale Increasing or decreasing something in size.

Soft focus A slightly diffused image.

Solarisation Briefly exposed print during the printing process creating a partly negative image.

Texture Appearance, touch, structure and consistency of something.

Tone The amount of light and dark in a picture.

Business StudiesAutocratic leadership Manager makes all decisions without consultation.

Boston matrix Model that analyses a product portfolio according to growth rate of the market and market share of products.

Brand A name, term, sign, symbol, design. Differentiates from competitors.

Breakeven point Total revenue and total cost are the same.

Capacity utilisation The use that a business makes of its resources.

Capital The money provided by the owners in a business.

Complementary goods Goods purchased together because they are consumed together.

Contribution Money left over after variable costs have been subtracted from revenue.

Critical path The tasks that could delay a project.

Decision tree All possible outcomes of a decision.

Democratic leadership Manager allows others to participate in decision making.

Design mix Range of features that are important e.g.. function, cost & aesthetics.

E-commerce Conducting business transactions online.

Economies of scale The reduction in average costs enjoyed by a business as output increases.

Entrepreneurs Individual who sets up and runs a business and takes on the risks associated with this.

Franchise Business allows another operator to trade under their name.

Gross profit Difference between revenue and cost of sales.

Inferior goods Demand will fall if incomes rise.

Laissez-faire leadership Employees encouraged to make their own decisions.

Margin of safety Amount by which sales can fall before the breakeven point is reached.

Market Allows buyers and sellers to communicate.

Market positioning The perception customers have about a brand/product/service.

Market segment Part of a whole market where a particular customer group has similar characteristics.

Marketing Identifying, anticipating & satisfying needs.

Mission statement Purpose and objective of a business.

Net profit Difference between operating profit and interest.

Niche market Small, specific, specialised.

Operating profit Difference between gross profit and overheads.

Paternalistic leadership Leader makes the decision but takes into account the welfare of employees.

PESTLE Political, economic, social, technological, legal & environmental.

Price elastic demand Change in price results in a greater change in demand.

Qualitative research Attitudes, beliefs and opinions.

Quantitative research Numerical data.

Social enterprise Trades with objective to improve human or environmental well-being.

Supply The amount of products that suppliers make available to the market at a given price.

SWOT analysis (internal) strengths, weaknesses, (external) opportunities & threats.

Synergy Combining two business practices to create a better outcome.

Transformational leadership

Where new leadership brings about change with the purpose to improve performance.

Variance The difference between actual financial outcomes and those budgeted.

Working capital Current assets minus current liabilities.

CateringAdditives Natural or synthetic chemical substances added to food during manufacture or processing .

Aeration Incorporating air into a mixture.

Amino acids The building blocks of proteins.

Bacteria Pathogenic microscopic living organisms, usually single-celled, that can be found everywhere.

Balanced diet A diet which provides all the necessary nutrients in the correct amount.

B group of vitamins Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): enables energy to be released from carbohydrates in the body.

Calcium Main mineral in the body, teeth and bones. It needs vitamin D to help absorption.

Coagulation The setting or joining together of lots of denatured protein molecules during heating or change in PH. An irreversible change to the appearance and texture of protein foods.

Denaturation Chemical bonds in the protein food have broken, causing the protein molecule to unfold and change shape.

Dietary fibre Complex carbohydrate/non-starch polysaccharide, e.g.. whole grain cereals and cereal products.

Disaccharide A carbohydrate made from two sugar molecules.

'Eat well guide' Informs individuals of the variety of food groups required for a healthy balanced diet.

Enzymic browning The discolouration of a fruit or vegetable due to the reaction/chemical process where oxygen and enzymes in the plant cells of the food to react and cause the surface to become brown.

Emulsification Refers to the tiny drops of one liquid spread evenly through a second liquid. An emulsifier (such as egg yolk) is used to stabilise an insoluble mixture.

Fat soluble vitamins Vitamins (the A, D E, and K groups) that dissolve in fat.

Gelatinisation When starch granules swell when cooked with liquid, then burst open and release the starch, causing the liquid to thicken.

Gluten free Food which does not contain gluten (crucial for those with Coeliac disease).

High risk foods Foods that are high in moisture and nutrients, especially protein (perishable foods: meat, shellfish, cooked rice, eggs, milk, cream). They support the growth of pathogenic microorganisms, such as bacteria.

Julienne Cutting vegetables into matchstick strips.

Lactose intolerant A condition which means you cannot digest disaccharide sugar lactose.

Low Biological Value Protein foods that are missing one or more essential amino acids (LBV).

Marinade To soak foods such as fish, meat, poultry and vegetables in a liquid to help develop the flavour, tenderise and in some instances colour the food before it is cooked.

Monosaccharide A simple carbohydrate. Mono means one, saccharide means sugar.

Nutrients The properties found in food and drinks that give nourishment – vital for growth and the maintenance of life. The main nutrients needed by the human body are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Nutritional analysis Nutritional information for different foods, creating a nutritional profile of the specific nutrients in the food.

Oxidation Substances pick up oxygen from the air; they then oxidise to undergo a chemical reaction, resulting in food losing freshness and colour.

Polysaccharide A complex carbohydrate: many sugar molecules joined together, they do not taste sweet.

Plasticity The ability of fat to soften over a range of temperatures to hold its shape, or be shaped and spread.

Raising agents An ingredient or process that introduces a gas into a mixture so that it rises when cooked.

Radiation A heating process that does not require physical contact between the heat source and the food being cooked. Instead, energy is transferred by waves of heat or light striking the food. Two kinds of radiation heat are used in the kitchen: infra-red and microwave.

Reduction The process of simmering a liquid over heat until it thickens. It is also the name of the concentrated liquid that forms during this process.

Reference Nutrient Intake (RNIs)

An estimate of the amount of proteins, vitamins and minerals that should meet the needs of most of the group to which they apply.

Religion and cultures The way of life, general customs and beliefs of a particular group of people at a particular time. Relating to the core of their traditions. Dietary laws, rules and advice which dictate the type of foods to be eaten.

Sensory properties Smell, appearance and texture, mouth feel influence what we select to eat.

Sodium (salt) Controls the amount of water in the body.

Tasting panel A process of testing foods. The process must be fair and realistic controlled conditions.

Child Development & CareAssessment Using observations to work out a child's stage of development.

Attachment The process by which children and their parents/ carers develop a strong loving relationship.

Behaviour Strategies Ways in which adults can encourage positive behaviour in children e.g... rewards, stickers etc.. Alternatively, it could be how we sanction children for misbehaving e.g... time out.

Confidentiality This is to do with the use of information about children and families. This information should be protected and if you are given information which is sensitive, you must only tell those that need to know (within the setting).

Co-operative Play Where children can play together and take it in turns.

Developmental Milestone Developmental milestones are behaviours or physical skills seen in infants and children as they grow and develop. Rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking are all considered milestones. The milestones are different for each age range. There is a normal range in which a child may reach each milestone.

Developmental norm Developmental norms are defined as standards by which the progress of a child's development can be measured.

Disclosure Barring Service (DBS)

A DBS check refers to the Disclosure and Barring Service, which helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children.

Discrimination Discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly or differently due to their race, gender, age etc.

Diversity Understanding each person is unique whilst recognising individual differences.

Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum (EYFS)

This is the curriculum that all OFSTED registered child care provision must follow for children aged 0-5 years.

Early Years Worker This is someone who works with children aged 0-5 years old.

Emotional Development Emotional development is a child's sense of security, their sense of personal identity or self-image and their self-awareness. Emotional development also includes understanding other peoples feelings as well.

Equality Being equal, especially in terms of rights and opportunities.

Fine Motor Skills Small movements using smaller muscles to do activities such as picking up a spoon.

Gross Motor Skills Large movement using larger muscles to do activities such as running, balancing and throwing.

Hazard Something which is a danger or a risk to someone.

Holistic Development A child's overall development.

Inclusive Practice Making sure all children are included in the setting by giving equal access and opportunity and removing discrimination.

Intellectual Development Intellectual development refers to the development of language, memory and thinking skills.

Key Carer A person or people who take(s) on the role of being a child's parent.

Language Development This is the skills required to express yourself and understand others. This includes, pointing, smiling, talking and listening.

Mentor An experienced advisor who acts as a guide and support for those who need it.

Metacognition How we think about our learning, and our awareness and knowledge of the process so that we can evaluate it.

Non Statutory Service A non-statutory service is a service that doesn't receive a lot of government funding so they are paid for by service users or they are free of change.

Ofsted This is the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills.

Parallel Play This is where children play alongside each other, but not with each other.

Personal hygiene Keeping skin, hair and teeth clean.

Physical Development Physical development is the process that starts in human infancy and continues into late adolescent concentrating on gross motor skills, fine motor skills, balance and co-ordination.

Placement co-ordinator A person responsible for managing students that are on placement in a setting.

Prejudice Assuming something about a person before you know them based on their race, age, gender or disability etc.

Premature This describes a baby who is born earlier than expected.

Role Model Someone who is looked up to by others as an example.

Safeguarding Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm.

Self settle To self settle is being able to fall asleep alone without being rocked, rubbed or held by an adult.

Social Development Social development involves learning about the relationships we have with others and how to fit into groups.

Solitary play Where children play on their own.

Statutory Service This is the provision for children, health and social care services which must be provided by law. These are run by the government or by local authorities and are usually free at the point of access.

Design & TechnologyAutomation The use of control systems for operating equipment such as machinery and processes in

factories; this reduces human input.

BSI British Standards Institute (BSI) is a service organization that produces standards across a wide variety of industry sectors.

CAD Computer-aided design. Using a computer to help you design.

CAM Computer-aided manufacture. Using a computer to help you make.

Client The person/people/audience being designed for and whose needs are being met.

Co-operative A group of people united to meet common social, economic or cultural need through a jointly-owned business.

Commercial process Manufacturing method used to produce products in quantity.

Commercial product A product intended to make money.

Conceptual stages (of design)

Use of models, sketches and computer aided design (CAD) to show the design of a product as it develops.

Continuous improvement The identification of improvements and subsequent evolution of products.

Crowd funding A large number of people who raise money for a project or venture.

Ecological The consideration of the environment and the impact that design can have on it.

Ethics Moral decisions when designing and manufacturing.

Fabricate Using processes such as cutting, bending, joining and assembly to produce products.

Finite A material or source which will one day run out.

Functionality How well a product carries out its purpose.

Fusibility How well a material is converted by heat into a molten or liquid state dependent on its melting point.

Iterative design Design methodology based on a cyclical process of analysing, prototyping and testing to refine a product. Each iteration and result starts the process again.

JIT Just in time manufacturing is a workflow methodology aimed at reducing flow times within production systems, as well as response times from suppliers and to customers.

Lean manufacturing Reducing and eliminating waste in a manufacturing process.

Life cycle assessment A technique used to assess the environmental impact of a product at all stages of its manufacture, use and disposal.

Market pull Products developed to meet the needs of society or a specific section of the market.

Mechanical device Mechanism which produces and/or changes movement.

Nesting The tessellation of shapes or nets on a material to minimise the amount of waste during manufacture.

PCB Printed circuit board is an electronic circuit consisting of thin strips of a conducting material such as copper, which have been etched from a layer fixed to a flat insulating sheet called a printed circuit board.

Physical properties Properties that refer to the actual matter that forms the material (e.g.. insulation, conductivity, fusibility).

Planned obsolescence Deliberately designing the lifecycle of a product to be short, forcing the user to update their products quickly.

Primary source Research collected first-hand by a designer to develop a product or idea.

Primary source (of materials)

Where materials originate (polymers from oil etc.) and the raw material that needs to be converted into a workable form.

Product Item or artefact developed for an intended audience to solve a problem or meet a need.

Prototype An early model or sample of a product used to test a concept.

Schematic diagram Graphic symbols or simplistic diagrams used to convey a system (e.g.. an underground map).

Social footprint The impact a product or individual has on society.

Social responsibility The idea that a designer needs to evaluate the impact their product could have on society and take action to make this better.

Stock form The standard shape and size of materials as they are bought.

Technology push Technological discoveries used to drive the development of a product.

Tolerance The minimum and maximum measurements that can be accepted when manufacturing.

User The person/people who make use of the product that has been developed by a designer.

User centred design Design development with the user at the centre of the focus. The designer tries to envisage how the product will actually be used, as opposed to focusing on other areas such as cost.

Working properties How a material reacts to external forces.

DramaAtmosphere The tone or feeling of the play, often created by the music, setting, or lighting.

Body Language Communication without speaking by movement or position.

Cannon The performers perform the same movement separately in repetition.

Centre Stage The middle of the stage.

Cross-Cutting A drama technique borrowed from the world of film editing. Moving from one scene to another when using a split-screen.

Devise Create a performance, usually based on a stimulus.

Director A person who leads a company of performers in creating and rehearsing a performance.

Downstage From an audience’s perspective towards the front of the stage (left, right, centre).

Ensemble A group of performers who perform on stage together.

Facial Expression Look on face which shows emotions.

Flash forward A scene which take place seconds, minutes, days or years later or after a dramatic moment.

Flashback A scene which take place seconds, minutes, days or years before or after a dramatic moment.

Genre Categories of Drama such as Comedy, Tragedy and Gothic Horror.

Gesture Any movement of a performers head, shoulder, arm, hand, leg, or foot to convey meaning.

Hot Seating A character is questioned by the group about his or her background, behaviour and motivation.

Marking the Moment A dramatic technique used to highlight a key moment in a scene or improvisation.

Mime The use of detailed movement without speaking.

Narration A technique whereby one or more performers speak directly to the audience to tell a story, give information or comment on the action of the scene or the motivations of characters.

Naturalism A style of drama which is as close to real life as possible.

Pace The rate of speed of which a performer moves or speaks.

Physical Theatre A performer uses their body to create objects and shapes.

Pitch The particular level (high or low) of a voice, instrument or tune.

Proxemics The positioning of a performer on stage that shows the feelings and relationships between two or more characters.

Role Play The ability to suspend disbelief by stepping into another character’s shoes.

Soundscape Used to create the atmosphere of a scene through sound only, usually provided by the actor’s themselves.

Split-Screen Two or more scenes are performed in different parts of the stage at the same time.

Stage Directions Part of the script of a play that tells the performers how they are to move or speak their lines.

Still Image Groups devise an image using their own bodies to create a frozen moment in time of characters or objects.

Stimuli Something that gives you an idea – an inspiration, a starting point. It is the beginning of the creative process.

Suspension of Disbelief A performer uses their imagination to believe something that is not real.

Tension A growing sense of expectation within a drama, a feeling that the story is building up towards something exciting happening.

Thought Track A performer reveals the private thoughts and reactions of the character that they are playing in a specific moment of time.

Tone A performer uses their voice to show their characters emotion such as angry, happy or sad.

Unison The performers perform the same movement at exactly the same time.

Upstage From an audience’s perspective towards the back of the stage (left, right, centre).

Volume How loud or quiet a performer’s voice is.

EnglishAdjective A word naming an attribute of a noun, such as sweet, red, or technical.

Adverb A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or a word group, expressing a relation of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc.. (e.g.., gently, quite, then, there).

Alliteration The occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.

Anaphora The use of a word referring back to a word used earlier in a text or conversation, to avoid repetition. For example, ‘I like it and so do they’.

Anecdote A short amusing or interesting story about a real incident or person.

Antagonist A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

Anti-climax A disappointing end to an exciting or impressive series of events.

Antonym Two words that are opposites of each other. E.g. 'big' & 'small‘.

Assonance Resemblance of sound between syllables of nearby words, arising particularly from the rhyming of two or more stressed vowels, but not consonants.

Blank verse A verse without rhyme, especially that which uses iambic pentameters.

Caesura A pause near the middle of a line usually made by punctuation.

Character A person in a novel, play, or film.

Chronological structure

Is the order in which things occurred.

Colloquial Used in ordinary or familiar conversation; not formal or literary.

Concluding Bring or come to an end.

Conjunction Links two words or phrases together.

Consonant A sound which is produced when the speaker closes off or obstructs the flow of air through the vocal tract, usually using lips, tongue or teeth.

Couplet A pair of successive lines of verse, typically rhyming and of the same length.

Denouement The final part of a play, film, or narrative in which the strands of the plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved.

Determiner Specifies a noun as known or unknown and it goes before any modifiers. E.g. 'the', 'a', 'an', 'this', 'those' etc.

Developing When a story becomes more complex, advanced, or elaborate.

Dialogue A conversation between two or more people as a feature of a book, play, or film.

Dramatic irony A literary technique by which the full significance of a character's words or actions is clear to the audience or reader although unknown to the character.

Ellipsis A series of dots that usually indicates an intentional omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from a text without altering its original meaning.

Emotive language When certain word choices are made to evoke an emotional response.

End stopped lines A line in verse which ends with punctuation, either to show the completion of a phrase or sentence.

Enjambment The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.

Etymology A word's history.

Exaggeration A statement that represents something as better or worse than it really is.

Extended metaphor An author’s exploitation of a single metaphor or analogy at length throughout a poem or story.

Facts Things that are known or proved to be true.

First person narrative A type of narrative in which the protagonist relates their story using the first person, i.e.. using the pronoun ‘I’.

Flash forward A scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media.

Flashback A scene that temporarily takes the narrative backward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media.

Foreshadowing A technique used by a writer to give an advance hint of what is to come later in the story.

Free verse Poetry that is free from limitations of regular meter or rhythm, and does not rhyme with fixed forms.

Homonym Words that look exactly the same when written and sound exactly the same when pronounced. E.g. 'Has he left yet? Yes, he went through the door on the left.‘.

Homophone Words that sound exactly the same when pronounced. E.g. 'Hear' & 'Here‘.

Hyperbole Exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally.

Iambic pentameter A line of verse with five metrical feet, each consisting of one short (or unstressed) syllable followed by one long (or stressed) syllable, for example Two households, both alike in dignity.

English continued.Imagery Visually descriptive or figurative language, especially in a literary work.

Juxtaposition Two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.

Metaphor A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable.

Modal verb Used to change the meaning of other verbs. Can express meanings such as certainty, ability or obligation. E.g. will, would, can, could, may, might, shall, should, must, ought.

Monosyllabic Consisting of one syllable.

Motif A recurrent image, idea, or symbol that develops or explains a theme, while a theme is a central idea or message.

Negative Not desirable or optimistic.

Noun Used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things (common noun), or to name a particular one of these (proper noun).

Omniscient Knowing everything. E.g. a third-person omniscient narrator.

Onomatopoeia The process of creating a word that phonetically imitates, resembles, or suggests the sound that it describes.

Opinions View or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge.

Oxymoron A figure of speech in which apparently contradictory terms appear in conjunction.

Pathetic fallacy A literary term for the giving of human emotion and behaviour to things found in nature that are not human.

Personification The attribution of human characteristics to something non-human.

Plosive sounds Are consonant sounds that are formed by completely stopping airflow.

Positive Desirable and optimistic.

Preposition A word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause, as in ‘the man on the platform’.

Pronoun A word that can function as a noun phrase used by itself and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g.. I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g.. she, it, this).

Protagonist The leading character or one of the major characters in a play, film, novel, etc.

Repetition The action of repeating something that has already been said or written.

Rhetorical question A question asked in order to create a dramatic effect or to make a point rather than to get an answer.

Second person narrative

A type of narrative in which the protagonist relates their story using the second person, i.e.. using the pronoun ‘you’.

Semantic field A set of words grouped semantically that refers to a specific subject.

Setting The place or type of surroundings where something is positioned or where an event takes place.

Sibilance A literary device where strongly stressed consonants are created deliberately by producing air from vocal tracts through the use of lips and tongue. Such consonants produce hissing sounds. Most of the times, the “s” sound is the sibilant.

Simile A figure of speech involving the comparison of one thing with another thing of a different kind, used to make a description more emphatic or vivid (e.g.. as brave as a lion).

Statistics The use of numerical data to support an argument or claim.

Stress When a syllable is pronounced more forcefully than the syllables next to it.

Subordinate clause A clause which is subordinate to some other part of the same sentence. E.g. 'The man, dressed all in black, walked slowly down the road.‘.

Superlative Expressing the highest or a very high degree of a quality (e.g.. bravest).

Syllable A beat in a word. Consist of one vowel and possibly one or more consonants.

Symbolism The use of language linked to specific symbols to represent ideas or qualities.

Synonym Two words that have the same or similar meanings. In contrast to 'antonym'.

Syntax The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

Theme An idea that recurs in literature.

Third person narrative

A type of narrative in which the protagonist relates their story using the third person, i.e.. using the pronoun ‘He/She/It/They’.

Tone The general character or attitude of a piece of writing.

Verb A word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen.

Volta In a sonnet, the Volta is the turn of thought or argument. In Petrarchan or Italian sonnets, it occurs between the octave and the sestet, and in Shakespearean or English before the final couplet.

Vowel A speech sound which is produced without any closure or obstruction of the vocal tract. E.g. 'a', 'e', 'I', 'o', 'u'.

GeographyAdaptation The action of changing to survive in a natural environment or to environmental changes.

Altitude The height of an object in relation to sea level.

Atmosphere The gases (air) that surround the earth.

Biodiversity The variety of life in the world or a particular ecosystem.

Climate change The long-term change in the Earth’s climate.

Coastal management Human action taken to control natural process along coastal areas.

Deposition Occurs when material being transported by sea or rivers due to the flows losing energy.

Desertification The process by which land becomes drier and degraded as a result of climate change or

human activities or both.

Dereliction Abandoned buildings and wasteland.

Earthquake A sudden or violent movement within the Earths crust followed by a series of shocks.

Ecosystem A community of plants and animals that interact with one each other and their physical

environment.

Emigration The process of someone leaving a particular place or country.

Erosion Wearing away and removal of material by moving force such as a wave.

Fairtrade Producers in LICs being given a fair price for the good they produce.

Greenhouse effect The process of additional carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere trapping the suns warmth

and warming the planet.

Gross Domestic Product

(GDP)

The total goods and services produced in an economy.

Gross National Income

(GNI)

Measurement of economic activity calculated by dividing the gross (total) national income by

the size of the population.

Immigrant The process someone coming into a particular place or country.

High Income Country

(HIC)

A country with a GNI per capita higher than $12,476 (world bank 2013).

Infant mortality rate Number of babies that die under the age of one Per 1000 live births.

Infrastructure The basic equipment and structure (such as road, rail and sewage) that are needed for a

country to function properly.

Longshore drift The transportation of sediment along a stretch of coastline caused by waves approaching the

beach at an angle.

Low Income Country (LIC) A country with a GNI per Capita of less then $1045 (world bank 2013).

Newly Emerging Economy

(NEE)

Countries that have begun to experience high rates of economic development usually along

with rapid industrialisation.

Pollution Chemicals, noise, dirt and other substance which have harmful of poisonous effects on an

environment.

Population density The number of people found within a given area of unit measurement.

Quality of life The standard of health, comfort, and happiness experienced by an individual or group.

Refugee A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or

natural disaster.

Regeneration The action or process of regenerating or being regenerated (improving an area).

Renewable energy A resource that cannot be exhausted i.e. wind; solar; tidal energy.

Rural to urban Migration The movement of people from the countryside into the city.

Squatter settlement An area of (often illegal) poor quality housing, lacking in services like water supply, sewage

and electricity.

Sustainability Actions that meet the needs of the present without reducing the ability of future generations

to meet their needs.

Tourism The commercial organisation and operation of holidays and visits to places of interest.

Transportation The movement of eroded material.

Tropical Rainforest A forest with high rate of precipitation and high humidity, usually located near the equator.

Tsunami A large wave of water that is usually associated with a Geological hazard.

Urban sprawl Unplanned growth of urban areas into the surrounding rural area.

Urbanisation When an increasing percentage of a country’s population live in towns and cities.

Volcano An opening in the Earths crust from which lava, ash and gases erupt.

Allies Countries who fight together to defeat an enemy.

Analysis To study a piece of writing in a critical way, always produce two sides to an argument.

Belligerent To attack in an aggressive manner.

Blitz The bombing of London during WW2 1940-1942.

Cause/consequence What caused something to happen and what were the consequences.

Cavalry Soldiers who fight on horseback during battles.

Cold war Period after WW2 1945-1991.

Context To study a period of history, and state what happened before this event, during and afterwards.

Continuity/change When studying a period of history, examine what has stayed the same and what has changed.

Cultural Link what you are studying to its consequences.

Deception Tactics used in warfare to trick the side you are fighting.

Democracy A country where people can vote by choice for their leader.

Dictator To rule over a country in an unfair manor.

Dragoon A soldier who uses a horse to get to a battle but then gets off horse to fight.

Economical Link what you are studying to its economic consequences.

Empire One major country that rules over many others.

Geographical Link the theme you are studying to the wider affects globally.

Historiography The study of the writing of history.

Holocaust The systematic killing of 6 million Jews by the Nazis during WW2.

Infantry Soldiers who fight on foot during battles.

Interpretation How you interpret what someone in history has written or said.

Judgement When answering a question to explain the reasons why you came to this answer.

Metacognition Thinking why people think what they think.

Militarism Think what you are studying to its militaristic consequences.

Militia A band of men or women who fight but who are civilians not trained soldiers.

Narrative To write a story about history without the need of analysis.

Nationalism To be proud of and fight for your country.

Political Link what you are studying to its political consequences.

Regicide A person that takes part in the killing of a king.

Religion Link what you are studying to its religious consequences.

Revolution People who rise up against the government of the country they live in.

Shield wall Shield inter locked during a battle so they cannot be broken.

Social Link what you are studying to its consequences on society.

Sun Tzu Author of most famous warfare book, THE ART OF WAR.

The Armada Battle in 1588 when England defeated the Spanish.

The Somme Biggest lost of British soldiers in one day = 20 000 dead.

Usurper A person who takes a position of power by force.

Victorian period 1837-1901 the period when Queen Victoria ruled over England.

Weimar Republic Government in Germany 1919-1933.

History

ICTAlgorithm Sets out a sequence of steps, that, when executed, will carry out a specific task.

Binary A digital coding system which uses two values to represent data, 0 and 1.

Bitmap A file format for digital images which is made up of a large number of dots or pixels which

look like a picture as long as you are sitting a reasonable distance away from the screen.

Byte Computer storage space is measured in bytes.

Computer A device that is able to take in data - called an input. It then acts upon that data - called

processing, the result of which is the output of the machine.

Connect/connection The ability of a software application or piece of equipment to connect to another application

or piece of equipment (e.g. computers).

Cursor A movable indicator on a computer screen identifying the point that will be affected by input

from the user.

Digital Having only discrete values, as opposed to analogue which has continuously changing values.

Disk An information storage device for a computer in the shape of a round flat plate which can be

rotated to give access to all parts of the surface. The data may be stored either magnetically

(in a magnetic disk) or optically (in an optical disk such as a CD-ROM).

Documents A document is an item that contains information, usually text and / or images.

Graphic A picture or an image stored in electronic format.

Hardware Hardware is used to describe the physical parts of the computer which you can touch.

Examples include monitors, keyboards, printers, hard disk, wiring, CPU etc.

Icon An Icon is a computer graphic, usually a small picture which is used to represent a file or

application stored on your computer system.

Input Input is the process of entering data into a computer system for example a spreadsheet or

database.

Interface An interface is a method, either hardware or software, which connects different parts of a

computer or network so that data communication can take place.

Internet The Internet (or "The Net") is a computer network that connects computers worldwide.

Justify Adding extra spaces to text to align the edges so that the lines begin and / or end at the

same place on a page.

Megabyte A Megabyte is a measure of computer memory or storage. It is generally thought of as one

million bytes or 1,000 kilobytes.

Memory Memory stores the files that you are working on right now and also modules from the

applications that you are using or have open. These are stored in RAM (Random Access

Memory). This data is usually lost if the computer crashes or is switched off.

Modem A Modem is a device used to convert digital data to analogue data in order to transmit it

over the telephone network (Modulation).

Module A set of standardized parts or independent units that can be used to construct a more

complex structure.

Monitor A monitor is an output device similar to a television screen. It receives signals from the

computer and displays that information for the user to view.

Multimedia Multimedia is where there is a combination of various types of media including sound,

graphics, animation, video and text.

Network A network describes a collection of parts joined together by links of some kind. A network is

as basic as two computers being connected together.

Output The end product of the information handling process.

Password A password is the second part of the log-on security. It identifies the person to whom the

User ID belongs. It must be kept a secret.

Preview A facility for inspecting the appearance of a document before it is printed.

Processor The processor is the part of the computer which processes or deals with the data and

processes in the system.

Program A program is a set of instructions that enable the computer hardware to perform a task.

Programming The process of writing computer programs.

Scanner Scanners, or computer scanners are used to transfer images or text from paper into a digital

format that the computer can use.

Software All computers need a set of instructions to follow in order to run or even boot up. These

instructions are called "software code" or just "software" for short.

Spreadsheet A spreadsheet is a piece of software which is used to carry out calculations.

Virus A computer virus is a piece of program code that, like a biological virus, makes copies of itself

by attaching itself to another program. The virus can waste the host's resources, and

sometimes destroy or change files.

MathsChange the subject To rewrite a formula so that a different letter is isolated.

Circumference The curved line around a circle.

Coefficient The number in front of a letter e.g.. 5x.

Congruent Shapes which are identical in shape and size.

Denominator The value at the bottom of a fraction.

Diameter A line from one side of a circle to the other through the centre.

Estimate To calculate approximately or making an educated guess.

Expand To multiply out brackets e.g.. 2(3x + 5) = 6x +15.

Expression A collection of letters and numbers e.g.. 2x+5, xy-7x.

Factor A whole number that you can divide by with no remainder left over.

Factorise To find something in common and place outside a bracket e.g.. 12x + 8xy = 4x(3 + 2y).

Frequency The number of times a value appears in a set of data.

HCF Highest common factor – the largest number that is a factor of all the numbers given.

Identity Exactly the same – a statement which is true for all values.

Improper A fraction where the numerator is larger than the denominator.

Integer A whole number.

Irregular A 2D shape where the sides and angles are not all the same.

LCM Lowest common multiple – the smallest multiple in common of all the numbers given.

Mean A type of average found by adding the data then dividing by how many numbers there are.

Median The middle value from an ordered list .

Mixed number A whole number and a fraction e.g. 3 and four fifths.

Mode The value that occurs the most.

Multiple A number in its times table e.g.. 25 is a multiple of 5.

Outcomes A list of all the possibilities.

Parallel Two straight lines that are equal distance from each other (like train tracks).

Perpendicular Two lines meeting at a 90 degree angle.

Polygon A 2D shape made up of straight lines.

Prime A number with exactly two factors, 2,3,5,7,11…

Quadratic equation An equation with x^2 term as the highest power e.g.. x^2+4x-4=0.

Radius A line joining the centre of a circle to the edge.

Range The biggest value – the smallest value, a measure of dispersion or spread.

Regular A shape were all sides and angles are the same size.

Significant figure The first non-zero digit.

Similar Two shapes are similar if they have identical angles.

Simplify To write an expression in a simpler way e.g.. 2x + 4x = 6x.

Substitute To replace a letter with a value.

Term A single part of an expression or equation i.e.. 3x, 7y.

Unit fraction A fraction with a numerator of 1.

Variable A symbol or letter that can take any value from a given range e.g.. h (height) or t (time).

Volume The amount of space a 3D solid takes up.

Media StudiesAction Code Something that happens in the narrative that tells the audience that some action will follow.

Active Audience Audiences who actively engage in selecting media products to consume and interpret their meanings.

Anchorage The words that accompany an image (still or moving) give the meaning associated with that image.

Appeal The way in which products attract and interest an audience.

Attract How media producers appeal to audiences to encourage them to consume the product.

Audience Categorisation How media producers group audiences (e.g. by age, gender, ethnicity) to target their products

Brand Identity The association the audience make with the brand

Broadsheet A larger newspaper that publishes more serious news, for example The Daily Telegraph has maintained its broadsheet format.

Caption Words that accompany an image that explain its meaning.

Circulation The dissemination of media products.

Colloquial Language This is conversational language where the words used are different from and less formal than those in written speech.

Connotation The suggested meanings attached to a sign, e.g., the red car in the advert suggests speed and power.

Conventions What the audience expects to see in a particular media text.

Convergence The coming together of previously separate media industries and/or platforms; often the result of advances in technology whereby one device or platform contains a range of different features.

Cover Lines These suggest the content to the reader and often contain teasers and rhetorical questions.

Cross-Platform Marketing In media terms, a text that is distributed and exhibited across a range of media formats or platforms.

Demographic Category A group in which consumers are placed according to their age, sex, income, profession, etc.

Denotation The description of what you can see/hear in a media text, e.g. the car in the advert is red.

Diegetic Sound Sound that comes from the fictional world and can be seen.

Diversification Where media organisations who have specialised in producing media products in one form move into producing content across a range of forms.

Encoding and Decoding Media producers encode messages and meanings in products that are decoded, or interpreted, by audiences

Enigma Code A narrative device which increases tension and audience interest by only releasing bits of information, for example teasers in a film trailer.

Equilibrium In relation to narrative, a state of balance or stability.

Feature In magazine terms, the main, or one of the main, stories in an edition.

Franchise An entire series of, for example, a film including the original film and all those that follow.

Gatekeepers The people responsible for deciding the most appropriate stories to appear in newspapers.

Genre Media texts can be grouped into genres that all share similar conventions.

Global Worldwide - e.g. a media product with global reach is a product that is distributed around the world.

House Style What makes the magazine recognisable to its readers every issue.

Iconography The props, costumes, objects and backgrounds associated with a particular genre.

Intellectual Property A legal concept which refers to creations of the mind for which the owner's rights are recognised.

Linear Narrative Where the narrative unfolds in chronological order from beginning to end.

Mainstream These are media products that are the most popular at the time and tend to be the most conventional.

Mediation The way in which a media text is constructed in order to represent the producer of the text's version of reality.

Mise-en-Scene In analysis of moving image products, how the combination of images in the frame creates meaning.

Narrative The 'story' that is told by the media text. All media texts, not just fictional texts, have a narrative.

Non-Diegetic Sound Sound that is out of the shot, for example a voiceover or romantic mood music.

Persona The image or personality that someone, for example a celebrity, presents to the audience.

Realism A style of presentation that claims to portray ‘real life’ accurately and authentically.

Stereotype An exaggerated representation of someone or something.

MFLAccent Punctuation on letters which changes their sound or meaning.

Adjective A word that describes a noun or pronoun.

Adjective agreement Changing the ending of an adjective agreement to make it agree with the noun it describes.

Adverb A word that describes or gives more information about a verb, adjective, adverb, or phrase.

Article Any of the English words "a", "an", and "the", or words in other languages that do the same job as these.

Auxiliary verb A verb that gives grammatical information that is not given by the main verb of a sentence.

Clause A group of words, consisting of a subject and a finite form of a verb.

Compound tense Tense made up of an auxiliary verb and a past or present participle.

Conditional clause (relating to) a sentence, often starting with "if" or "unless", in which one half expresses something which depends on the other half.

Conditional tense (a form of a verb) expressing the idea that one thing depends on another thing.

Conjugate If a verb conjugates, it has different forms that show different tenses, the number of people it refers to, etc.., and if you conjugate a verb, you list its different forms.

Conjunction A word such as 'and', 'but', 'while', or 'although' that connects words, phrases, and clauses in a sentence.

Definite article The word “the” in English, or the words in other languages that have a similar use.

Dictation Exercise involving writing down exactly what you hear.

Grammatical gender The grammatical arrangement of nouns, pronouns and adjectives into masculine, feminine, and neuter types in some languages.

Imperfect tense The imperfect form of a verb describes an action in the past that was continuous or was not completed.

Indefinite article The words "a" and "an" in English, or words in other languages that have a similar use.

Infinitive The basic form of a verb that usually follows "to“.

Interpret To change spoken words in one language to another.

Model verb A verb used with another verb to express an idea such as possibility that is not expressed by the main verb.

Noun A word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things ( common noun ), or to name a particular one of these ( proper noun ).

Object A noun or noun phrase that is affected by the action of a verb or that follows a preposition.

Passive The passive form of a verb is being used when the grammatical subject is the person or thing that experiences the effect of an action, rather than the person or thing that causes the effect.

Past participle The form of a verb, usually made by adding -ed, used in some grammatical structures such as the passive and the present perfect.

Perfect tense The tense of a verb that shows action that has happened in the past or before another time or event.

Pluperfect tense The grammatical tense used to describe an action that had already finished when another action happened. It is made with "had" and a past participle.

Plural More than one.

Prefix A letter or group of letters added to the beginning of a word to make a new word.

Present participle A form of a verb that in English ends in -ing and comes after another verb to show continuous action. It is used to form the present continuous.

Pronoun A word that is used instead of a noun or a noun phrase.

Quantifier A word or phrase that is used before a noun to show the amount of it that is being considered.

Sentence A group of words, usually containing a verb, that expresses a thought in the form of a statement, question, instruction, or exclamation and starts with a capital letter when written.

Singular One (or uncountable).

Subject The person or thing that performs the action of a verb, or is joined to a description by a verb.

Subjunctive In some languages, a verb form that refers to actions that are possibilities rather than facts.

Subordinate clause A clause that cannot form a sentence on its own but can be joined to a main clause to form a sentence.

Suffix A letter or group of letters added at the end of a word to make a new word.

Tense Any of the forms of a verb which show the time at which an action happened.

Translate To change written words in one language to another.

Verb A word or phrase that describes an action, condition, or experience.

MusicAccompaniment The supporting musical lines beneath a melody.

Binary Form AB - Two contrasting sections.

Brass A family of instruments in which air is blown into a sound hole e.g. trumpet.

Call and Response Question and answer between two musicians.

Choir (SATB) Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass - the sections of voices in a choir from high to low.

Chord A cluster of multiple notes played at once.

Chromatic Using all 12 notes; not sticking to a key centre.

Clef A symbol on a stave that defines the pitch range e.g. treble clef.

Compose To write music.

Context To understand the history, people and venue in which music was written and performed in.

Crotchet A quarter-note, usually four per bar.

Cymbal A metallic percussion instrument (commonly misspelled).

Dynamics Loud and soft.

Harmony Complimentary notes played or sung alongside a melody.

Imitation One musical part directly copies another.

Improvisation To make up a performance on the spot.

Interval The distance between two notes.

Melody The tune of a piece of music.

MIDI Musical Instrument Digital Interface.

Octave To play the same note (e.g.. C or D) at a higher or lower pitch; all of which will sound in tune and resonate with the tonal centre.

Orchestra A group of instruments found in Western Classical music.

Ostinato A repeating pattern.

Pentatonic A scale made up of 5 notes - a basis for many styles of World and Popular music.

Percussion A family of instruments which produce sound by being hit or struck e.g. drum.

Pitch A musical term for measuring the frequency of a sound (high or low) - similar to using kHz in Physics.

Quantise To correct the timings of a played in part using MIDI sequencing.

Rhythm The order of note duration over a pulse.

Scale Ascending or descending pitch in steps.

Sequencing Arranging musical parts and layers in software such as Logic Pro X.

Stave The five line on which music is written.

Strings A family of instruments in which strings are plucked or bowed e.g. violin.

Structure The sections within a piece over time (e.g.. verse/chorus) similar to chapters within a book.

Syncopation An off-beat rhythm; gives music a sense of groove.

Tempo The speed of a piece of music.

Ternary Form ABA - similar to binary form only the A section returns.

Timbre The tone quality of a sound described using adjectives e.g. metallic or hollow.

Tonality The key signature of a piece (major, minor or atonal).

Triad A basic chord made up of three notes.

Unison Multiple musicians/instruments playing the same part at once.

Woodwind A musical family in which reeds or sound holes are blown over e.g.. flute or clarinet.

Physical EducationAerobic work Working at a moderate intensity so that the body has time to utilise oxygen for energy

production allowing the body to work for a continuous period, e.g.. long-distance events, for the duration of a match.

Agility Ability to change the position of the body quickly and to control the movement of the whole body.

Anaerobic work Working at a high intensity without oxygen for energy production, therefore limited energy so work period will be short, e.g.. sprinting up the wing in a football match.

Antagonistic muscle pairs Pairs of muscles that work together to bring about movement. As one muscle contracts (agonist) the other relaxes (antagonist). For example, the biceps and triceps. The triceps relax to allow the biceps to contract to flex the arm at the elbow. Roles are reversed to extend the arm at the elbow.

Balance The ability to retain the centre of mass of the body above the base of support (with reference to static, or dynamic conditions of movement, shape or orientation).

Body Composition The percentage of the body weight that is fat, muscle and bone.

Cardiovascular Fitness The ability to exercise the entire body for a long period of time.

Circuit Training A number of exercise stations arranged to avoid exercising the same muscle group consecutively.

Continuous Training Training at a low to medium intensity for at least 20 minutes with no rest periods.

Coordination Ability to use two or more body parts together.

Cross Training A mixture of different training methods throughout a training programme.

Energy balance This is the basis of weight control. For body weight to remain constant energy input (via food) must equal energy expenditure.

Exercise Any form of physical activity which maintains or improves health and/or fitness.

Fartlek Training Exercising at different speeds and intensities and over different terrain.

Fitness Ability to meet the demands of the environment.

FITT Frequency Intensity Time Type.

Flexibility The range of movement possible in a joint.

Gamesmanship Bending the rules/laws of a sport without actually breaking them.

Health A state of complete mental, physical and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.

Individual needs matching the training to the requirements of the individual.

Interval Training Short bursts of high intensity exercise followed by defined periods of rest.

Lactic acid A by-product of energy production. Formed when the body is exercising anaerobically at high intensity.

Macronutrient A type of food required in relatively large amounts in the diet, e.g.. carbohydrates and fats.

Micronutrient A type of food required in relatively small quantities in the diet, f vitamins and minerals.

Muscle fibre types Muscle fibres make up the skeletal muscle. The different fibre types are type I, type Ilia and type Iix.

Muscular Endurance The ability to use the voluntary muscles many times without getting tired.

Muscular Strength The amount of force a muscle can exert against a resistance.

Optimum weight Refers to the weight someone should be, on average, based on their sex, height, bone structure, and muscle girth.

Performance How well a task is completed.

Power Ability to undertake strength performances quickly. Power=strength x speed.

Progressive Overload To gradually increase the amount of overload so that fitness gains occur, but without potential for injury.

Reaction time The time between the presentation of a stimulus and the onset of movement.

Rest and Recovery Rest is the period of time allotted to recovery, recovery is the time required for the repair of damage to the body caused by training or competition.

Reversibility Any adaptation that takes place as a consequence of training will be reversed when you stop training.

Smart Specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound goals.

Specificity Matching the training to the requirement of the activity.

Speed The rate an individual is able to perform movement or cover a distance in a period of time.

Vasoconstriction Narrowing of the internal diameter (lumen) of the blood vessel to decrease blood flow.

Vasodilation Widening of the internal diameter (lumen) of the blood vessel to allow increased blood flow.

Weight Training Using progressive resistance to lift a weight.

Religious StudiesAscension Jesus ascends bodily into Heaven 40 days after the resurrection.

Blasphemy A religious offence which includes claiming to be God.

Celibacy Not having sexual relations.

Civil war Armed conflict between factions within the same country.

Cohabitation Where a couple live together without being married/in civil partnership.

Crucifixion A Roman method of execution and the death of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday.

Deterrence Aim of punishment to put a person off committing a crime by the level of punishment.

Eucharist A service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated, using bread and wine; also called Holy Communion, Mass, the Lord’s Supper.

Euthanasia Mercy killing; ending life for someone who is terminally ill, or has degenerative disease.

Evangelism Spreading the Christian gospel.

Ex nihilo The idea that God created the universe from nothing.

Gender discrimination Acting on prejudices against someone because of their gender.

Hajj Annual pilgrimage to Makkah that every Muslim should make once in their life.

Holy war Rules around fighting a war acceptable to Islam.

Immanent The idea that God is present and involved with life on earth and in the universe; a quality of God.

Incarnation God made human. For Christians, Jesus was the Son of God in human form.

Mihrab A niche in a wall that indicates the direction of Makkah.

Monotheistic A religion that believes there is only one God.

Omnipotent Almighty, having unlimited power.

Pacifism Belief that all violence is wrong.

Persecution Hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race, or political or religious beliefs.

Pilgrimage A journey by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons; an act of worship or devotion.

Predestination The idea that God knows or determines everything that will happen in the universe.

Procreation Having a child; seen as a duty in many religions.

Ramadan The ninth month of the Muslim calendar, during which Muslims have to fast from dusk to sunset.

Reconciliation A sacrament in the Catholic Church; also, the restoring of harmony after relationships have broken down.

Reformation Aim of punishment; helping the criminal see how and why their behaviour was wrong, so that their mind-set changes for the better.

Retribution Aim of punishment; getting the criminal back for their crimes.

Sacraments Rituals through which the believers receives the Holy Spirit.

Salah Prayer with and in worship of God, performed under conditions set by the prophet Muhammad.

Salvation Being saved from sin through Jesus Christ.

Sanctity of life Life is special and created by God.

Shahadah Muslim declaration of faith.

Tawhid The oneness and unity of God.

Wudu Ritual washing before prayer.

Zakah Purification of wealth by giving 2.5% of savings each year to the poor.

Science: BiologyActive transport

The movement of substance from an area of low concentration to an area of high concentration, requiring energy.

AdaptationsSpecial features that make an organism particularly well-suited to the environment where it lives.

Alleles Different forms of the same gene.

Alveoli Tiny air sacs in the lungs that increase the surface area for gaseous exchange.

Bacteria Single-celled prokaryotic organisms.

Biodiversity A measure of the variety of all the different species of organisms in a given area.

Carcinogen Agents that can cause cancer or increase the risk of developing cancer.

Cell membrane The membrane around a cell that controls what comes in and out of a cell.

Cell wall The rigid structure around plant and algal cells to strengthen the cell.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The part of the nervous system where information is processed (made up of the brain and spinal cord).

Chlorophyll The green pigment contained in chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts The organelle that is the site of photosynthesis.

Classification The organisation of living organisms into groups according to their similarities.

Cloning The production of identical offspring by asexual reproduction.

Communicable disease Diseases caused by pathogens and can be passed from one organism to another.

Cytoplasm The water-based gel in which the organelles of cells are suspended and the site of most chemical reactions in cells.

Denatured The breakdown of a molecule (change to the protein structure) so that it no longer functions.

DiffusionThe movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration along a concentration gradient.

Enzymes Biological catalysts.

Eukaryotic Cells that have a cell membrane, cytoplasm and genetic material in a nucleus.

Genetic engineering The process by which scientists manipulate and change the genotype of an organism.

Genotype The genetic makeup of an individual for a particular characteristic.

Homeostasis The regulation of internal conditions to maintain optimum conditions for function.

HormonesChemicals produced in one area of the body that have an effect on the functioning of another area of the body.

MeiosisTwo stage process of cell division that reduced the number of chromosomes in the daughter cells to make gametes.

Mitochondria The site of aerobic respiration in cells.

MitosisPart of the cell cycle where one set on new chromosomes are pulled to each end of the cell forming two identical nuclei.

Non-communicable diseases

Diseases that are not infectious but inherited or a result of genetic mutation.

Nucleus Organelle that contains the genetic information surrounded by a nuclear envelope.

OsmosisThe movement of water from an area of high concentration to low concentration across a partially permeable membrane.

Phenotype The physical appearance of an individual for a particular characteristic.

Photosynthesis The process by which plants make food using carbon dioxide, water and light.

ProkaryoticCells that contain a cytoplasm and cell membrane and a cell wall (without cellulose) where DNA is in a loop and not enclosed in a nucleus.

Reproduction The fusion of male and female gametes (sex cells) to produce genetic variation in offspring.

RespirationThe process by which cells use oxygen to break down glucose to release carbon dioxide, water and energy for other chemical reactions in cells.

Selective breedingThe artificial speeding up of natural selection by selecting and breeding organisms with the required characteristics.

Stem cells Undifferentiated.

Transpiration The loss of water vapour from the leaves of the plant through the stomata.

VaccineA dead or inactive pathogenic material used to develop immunity to a disease in a healthy person.

Viruses Pathogens that can only reproduce inside the living cells of other organisms.

Science: ChemistryActivation energy The minimum energy needed for a reaction to take place.

Alkali A soluble substance that neutralises an acid. Donates hydroxide ions (OH-).

Alkane A saturated hydrocarbon with a general formula of CnH2n+2.

Alkene An unsaturated hydrocarbon with a general formula of CnH2n.

Aqueous Dissolved in water.

Catalyst A substance that increases the rate of reaction without being changed. It provides an

alternative reaction pathway with a lower activation energy.

Chromatography A separation technique used to separate colours based upon solubility.

Collision theory A theory that states particles must collide with sufficient energy for a reaction to take place.

Compound A substance made from two or more types of atom chemically bonded together.

Covalent bond A bond formed between non-metal atoms that involves shared pairs of electrons.

Displacement reaction A reaction in which a more reactive elements replaces a less reactive element in a

compound or solution.

Electrolysis The breakdown of a substance containing ions using electricity.

Electron Smallest subatomic particle with a negative charge and a negligible mass that orbits the

nucleus.

Endothermic A chemical reaction that takes in energy from the surroundings.

Equilibrium The point in a reversible reaction where the forward and backward reactions occur at the

same rate.

Exothermic A chemical reaction that releases energy to the surroundings.

Filtration A separation technique used to separate insoluble solids from a solution.

Fractional distillation A separation technique used to separate liquids with different boiling points.

Group A column in the periodic table.

Hydrocarbon A substance made from hydrogen and carbon only.

Indicator A chemical that changes colour to show the acidity of a substance. Examples include

universal indicator, phenolphthalein, methyl orange, litmus paper.

Intermolecular forces An attraction between molecules in a simple covalent substance.

Ion A charged particle formed by the loss or gain of electrons.

Ionic bond An electrostatic force of attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Isotope Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons and different number of

neutrons.

Mass number The number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Mixture A combination of different types of elements or compounds not chemically bonded

together.

Neutralisation A chemical reaction between an acid and a base where a salt and water are formed.

Neutron A subatomic particle that is neutral in charge and found in the nucleus of an atom.

Ore A rock containing a metal.

Oxidation A reaction involving the gain of oxygen or when electrons are lost.

Polymer A long chain molecule made from small monomers.

Precipitate An insoluble solid formed from two solutions reacting together.

Product A substance made during a chemical reaction.

Proton A subatomic particle with a positive charge found in the nucleus of the atom.

Reactant A substance that starts a chemical reaction.

Reduction A reaction where oxygen is lost or electrons are gained.

Shell The pathway around the nucleus where electrons are found.

Strong acid Acids that completely ionise in solution.

Thermal decomposition The breakdown of one compound by heating.

Science: PhysicsAcceleration Change of velocity per second (in metres per second per second, m/s).

Amplitude The height of a wave crest or trough of a transverse wave from the rest position. For

oscillating motion, the amplitude is the maximum distance moved by an oscillating object

from its equilibrium position.

Conservation of energy Energy cannot be created or destroyed.

Conservation of momentum

In a closed system, the total momentum before an event is equal to the total momentum

after the event. Momentum is conserved in any collision or explosion, provided no external

forces act on the objects that collide or explode.

Current A flow of charge. The size of a current is the rate of flow of electric charge.

Density Mass per unit volume of a substance.

Dissipation of energy The energy that is not usefully transferred and stored in less useful ways.

Efficiency Useful energy transferred by a device ÷ total energy supplied to the device.

Electromagnetic induction

The process of inducing a potential difference in a wire by moving the wire so it cuts across

the lines of force of a magnetic field.

Electromagnetic spectrum

The continuous spectrum of electromagnetic waves.

Force A force (in newtons, N) can change the motion of an object.

Frequency The number of wave crests passing a fixed point every second.

Friction The force opposing the relative motion of two solid surfaces in contact.

Ionisation Any process in which atoms become charged.

Latent heat The energy transferred to or from a substance when it changes its state.

Longitudinal waves Waves in which the vibrations are parallel to the direction of energy transfer.

Magnitude The size or amount of a physical quantity.

Moment The turning effect of a force defined by the equation: moment of a force (in newton metres,

Nm) = force (in newtons, N) x perpendicular distance from the pivot to the line of action of

the force (in metres, m).

Nuclear fission The process in which certain nuclei (uranium-235 and plutonium-239) split into two

fragments, releasing energy and two or three neutrons as a result.

Nuclear fusion The process where small nuclei are forced together to fuse and form a larger nucleus.

Ohm’s law The current through a resistor at constant temperature is directly proportional to the

potential difference across the resistor.

Oscillate Move to and fro about a certain position along a line.

Parallel Components connected in a circuit so that the potential difference is the same across each

one.

Potential difference A measure of the work done or energy transferred to a component by each coulomb of

charge that passes through it. The unit of potential difference is the volt (V).

Power The energy transformed or transferred per second. The unit of power is the watt (W).

Reflection The change of direction of a light ray or wave at a boundary when the ray or wave stays in

the incident medium.

Refraction The change of direction of a light ray when it passes across a boundary between two

transparent substances (including air).

Resistance Resistance (in ohms, Ω) = potential difference (in volts, V) ÷ current (in amperes, A).

Scalar A physical quantity, such as mass or energy, that has magnitude only.

Series Components connected in a circuit in such a way that the same current passes through

them.

Specific heat capacity Energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a substance by 1oC.

Speed The speed of an object (in metres per second, m/s) equals distance moved by the object

(metres) ÷ time taken to move the distance travelled (seconds).

Terminal velocity The velocity reached by an object when the drag force on it is equal and opposite to the

force making it move.

Transformer Electrical device used to change an (alternating) voltage.

Transverse wave A wave where the vibration is perpendicular to the direction of energy transfer.

Vector A vector is a physical quantity, such as displacement or velocity, that has a magnitude and a

direction.

Velocity Speed in a given direction (in metres/second, m/s).

Wavelength The distance from one wave crest to the next.

Weight The force of gravity on an object (in newtons, N).

Work The energy transferred by a force. Work done (joules, J) = force (newtons, N) x distance

moved in the direction of the force (metres, m).

SociologyAnomie A situation of normlessness in which the norms that regulate people’s behaviour breaks down.

Bureaucracy An organisation (such as a government department, e.g.. DfE – education), that operates as a hierarchy with a clear set of rules.

Case study A detailed study of a particular institution or a series of related events.

Cohabiting Live together but are not married.

Confidentiality An agreement that all information will only be access by those who have the authority and permission to access it.

Cycle of deprivation The idea that deprivation and poverty are passed on from parents to their children.

Deviance Any form of behaviour that does not conform to the norms of a society – this can be influenced by time, place, social situation and culture.

Deviancy amplification The exaggeration of a particular social issue as a consequence of media coverage, e.g.. anti-social behaviour by groups of young people.

Embourgeoisiement A hypothesis suggesting that working class families are becoming middle class in their norms and values as their incomes and standard of living improves.

Ethnocentric curriculum The curriculum is seen as judging things in a biased way from the point of view of one culture.

Ethnography The study of people’s culture and practices in everyday settings, usually based on qualitative methods such as participant observation and unstructured interviews.

Expressive role Women take on this role as the housewife and mother (Parsons, 1959).

Focus group A type of group interview that focuses on one particular topic. It explores how people interact within the group and how they respond to each other’s views.

Formal agencies of social control

Formal rules and social controls that tell everyone within society what is and is not acceptable e.g.. the police, the courts, the government.

Hate crime Crime based on prejudice towards others because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability or because they are transgender.

Hidden curriculum Things learned indirectly in school that are not formally taught, such as valuing punctuality, or conformity and obedience.

Hypothesis A supposition, hunch or informed guess, usually written as a statement that can be tested and then either supported by the evidence or proved wrong.

Instrumental role Men take on this role as the breadwinner (Parsons, 1959).

Instrumentalism An attitude or approach to something (such as paid work) where it is a means to an end (e.g.. the wages provide a comfortable lifestyle) rather than an end in itself (e.g.. job satisfaction).

Joint conjugal roles No rigid division of household tasks. Shared leisure activities.

Labelling The process of attaching a label, characteristic or definition to individuals or groups.

Longitudinal study A study of the same group pf people conducted over a long period of time.

Material deprivation Refers to the inability of individuals or households to afford the goods and activities that are typical in a society at a given point in time.

Meritocracy A system in which individuals’ achievements are based on their own talents and efforts rather than their social origins and backgrounds.

Monogamy Being married to just one person. This can be serial monogamy, which is when you may divorce and then get remarried.

Patriarchy Male dominance over women.

Pilot study A small scale trial that is carried out in order to test that there are no flaws in the methodology of the main research.

Pluralism An approach which argues that a range of views, interests and opinions exists in society and no one group dominates the political process.

Primary socialisation How a child is taught the norms and values of a society.

Reliability Refers to consistency. Research can be repeated to find the same results.

Sample A subgroup of the population selected for study.

Segregated conjugal roles Division in domestic labour due to gender. Separate leisure activities.

Self-fulfilling prophecy This occurs when a person who has been labelled comes to fit the image people have of them; i.e.. the prediction becomes true.

Social Stratification The way that society is structured into hierarchical strata (layers) with the most privileged at the top and the least favoured at the bottom.

Status frustration A sense of frustration arising in individuals or groups because they are denied status in society

Streaming Dividing students into different groups or bands based on a general assessment of their ability.

Symmetrical family Spouses perform different tasks but both contribute to the home.

Validating Findings are valid if they truly measure or capture what they are supposed to be studying.

Welfare state A system in which the state takes responsibility for protecting the health and welfare of its citizens and meeting their social needs.

Exam Command Words

Analyse To study something very closely with a particular purpose in mind.

Compare To identify similarities and differences between two or more things.

Define State the exact meaning of something.

Describe Briefly tell or recall. You are saying or stating what something is like. E.g. Telling a story of what happened or describing what you can see.

Discuss Examine closely taking account of strengths and weaknesses in an argument; offer reasons for and against.

Evaluate Make a judgement about the worth, effectiveness or usefulness of something.

Explain You say why and how e.g. this meant that/ this is because

Justify Explain why/give reasons to support your statements.

Suggest State a possible reason or course of action.

These verbs are the important instructions that you will be expected to follow in an exam situation. Unfortunately, ‘how’ you respond to exam command words does vary slightly between different

subjects and exam boards; however, here is some general advice on how to approach some common command words in your exams.

Words to help expand and improve your writing

Adding Time Cause/effect Contrasting

moreoveralso

as well asfurthermore

nextthen

finallymeanwhileeventually

becausetherefore

soconsequentlyas a result of

hence

howeveralternatively

althoughexceptunless

Gold Star words are excellent to learn as they can be used effectively in multiple subjects.

Red Star words should be approached with caution as they can have different meanings in different subjects.

“The limits of your language are the limits of your world.”

Ludwig Wittgenstein

With special thanks to all the teaching staff who contributed to this dictionary.